The present invention relates to devices for cleaning windows and other hard surfaces. More particularly, it relates to devices that can deliver cleaning fluid to the surface to be cleaned, have a pad (e.g. scrubbing or touch-up) for facilitating removal of solids and stains, have a squeegee blade for scraping off used cleaning liquid, and also have a collector to collect that used liquid.
Cleaning of glass windows and other similar hard surfaces is typically a multi-tool and multi-step process. One sprays or otherwise applies a cleaning fluid to the surface to be cleaned, rubs the cleaning fluid against encrusted or other hard to remove materials on the surface, and removes the liquid. The liquid can be removed by rubbing a dry paper towel or rag over the surface. However, this can leave streaks and/or lint on the surface being cleaned. Further, this leaves wet and soiled paper or rags to be dealt with or disposed of.
Alternatively, the used cleaning fluid can be scraped off the surface using a squeegee. This technique is often used when cleaning the outsides of building windows where “drool” from the squeegee can drip off the window onto a building side or the ground without significant adverse effects. However, using a conventional squeegee indoors is messy. Further, squeegees can sometimes leave small streaks of remaining liquid.
There have been attempts to collect liquid as it is being squeegeed off windows or other surfaces, using wicking or absorbent layers adjacent the squeegee blade. See e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,970,560, 6,092,255 and 6,668,418. However, the assemblies for collecting the waste liquid in these structures were not optimized. Thus, these systems quickly saturated, and/or were difficult to adjust to re-establish optimal collection conditions.
In any event, to clean a window or the like, one will typically have to pick up a spray bottle, spray a cleaning liquid against the window or other surface, put the bottle down, pick up and use a sponge or other scrubber against the window, put the sponge down, and then pick up and use the squeegee. This can be followed by using a drying cloth or towel to clean up or touch-up missed areas. This is time consuming and require the person doing the cleaning to expend more energy than is optimal.
There have therefore been some attempts to link a sprayer and/or scrubber to a squeegee. See e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,587,382, 2,832,086, D294,989, D316,318, 5,364,198, 6,010,267, 6,223,380, 6,547,469, 6,692,171 and 6,702,497. There are also a number of squeegee devices that are mounted on extension poles so that the device can be used to clean windows that are beyond the normal reach of a consumer, without using a ladder. See e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,500,274, 6,010,267 and 6,092,255.
Nevertheless there is a continuing need for improved cleaning implements, particularly those that minimize the number of tools involved in the cleaning process.